5586. Catarrh

5586.    Catarrh. There is perhaps no complaint so common as catarrh, or cold in the head; it occurs both in winter and summer; and it is generally said that a summer cold is more difficult to get rid of than a winter one. The attack sets in with pains in the limbs and back, lassitude, and a sense of tightness across the forehead, repeated sneezing, watery and inflamed eyes, and increased discharge from the nose; sometimes there is inflammation of the throat and tonsils, and an eruption of vesicles about the lips.

5587. To Cure Catarrh

5587.     To Cure Catarrh. Remedies without number have been recommended for catarrh, but few are better than the old-fashioned plan - putting the feet into hot water, giving 10 grains of Dover's powder (see No. 5176 (Dover's Powder)) a hot drink, and plenty of blankets,

5588. Brown Mixture

5588.    Brown Mixture. Take powdered extract of liquorice and powdered gum-arabic, of each 2 drachms; hot water, 4 fluid ounces; mix, and add spirit of nitrous ether, 1 fluid drachm; antimonial wine, 2 fluid drachms ; and tincture of opium, 40 minims. A table-spoonful for a dose. This is an excellent remedy in the early stages of catarrh ; it is the well-known compound liquorice mixture of the Pharmacopoeia.

5589. Flaxseed Tea

5589.      Flaxseed Tea. Macerate 1 ounce flaxseed and 1/2 ounce braised liquorice root in 1 pint boiling water for 2 hours, in a lightly closed vessel; filter, and add 1 fluid ounce lemon juice. This is a good drink in cases of catarrh.

5590. To Relieve a Cough

5590.      To Relieve a Cough. The troublesome cough caused by an accumulation of phlegm in the throat, especially in the morning, experienced mostly by persons affected with chronic catarrh, can be relieved instantly by taking a tea-spoonful of the following mixture, which has also the advantage of being harmless to the stomach, rather improving tho appetite. Put into an 8-ounce phial, 1/2 ounce muriate of ammonia and 1/2 ounce pulverized gum-liquorice ; fill the phial nearly full with hot water, and shake thoroughly, to prevent the liquorice from becoming solid; shake also before using.

5591. Hay Fever

5591.    Hay Fever. This very peculiar disease appears generally as a severe attack of catarrh, with asthmatic symptoms superadded. The lining membrane of the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs is all more or less affected. The patient suffers from headache, sometimes severe, sneezing, irritation of the nose and throat, with a dry harassing cough. The asthmatic attacks come on generally towards evening, and last from 1 to 3 hours, causing great distress. Hay fever is not a very common complaint, and only attacks those persons who, from some peculiarity of constitution, are susceptible to the causes producing it. It is supposed to be caused by the inhalation of the pungent aroma of spring grass and hay, but the inhalation of the powder of ipecacuanha will also produce it in certain individuals. In places where the rose is largely cultivated, similar attacks sometimes occur; it is then called rose fever or rose catarrh.